General Manager Jerry Reese’s Pre-Draft Press Conference

General Manager Jerry Reese’s Pre-Draft Press Conference: The transcript and video of yesterday’s pre-draft press conference with General Manager Jerry Reese are available at Giants.com.

Reese Open to Contract Extension for Umenyiora: General Manager Jerry Reese said yesterday that he is open to a possible contract extension for DE Osi Umenyiora, who has one year remaining on his current contract.

“I’m still open to that,” said Reese. “There’s been a little bit of talk, but it’s a long way to go before we play and a lot of things still for us to do. That’s on our plate as well…Osi has a year left on his contract. He’s not a free agent. We’ll try to address as many of those situations – Osi’s situation and other situations that we have – moving forward.”

However, The Daily News is reporting there have been no negotiations between the Giants and Umenyiora’s camp.

April 19, 2012 New York Giants Injury Update: TE Jake Ballard, who tore an ACL and suffered cartilage damage in one of his knees during the Super Bowl, was asked when he might return to the playing field this year, “My best chance would be mid-season, if at all,” replied Ballard. “A lot of people have ACLs and miss a year. Why should I be lucky enough that I don’t miss the whole entire year? I can’t do anything (about it) now. I’m past that. I’m hurt. I’m trying to get better.”

TE Travis Beckum continues to say he might possibly be back by Week 1 despite tearing an ACL in his knee in the Super Bowl. Beckum says there has been minimum swelling in the knee. “You know what? You’ve got to try to think positive about the situation,” Beckum said. “Obviously I would love to be back by the first game. If I’m not (and am on the) PUP (Physically-Unable-to-Perform List), I don’t necessarily look at it as a bad thing. More time to make sure my knee is 100 percent and to get my body right.”

CB Terrell Thomas, who tore the ACL in one of his knees last preseason, said he won’t do much during the Organized Team Activity (OTA) on-field activities. “Right now I have no desire to participate,” said Thomas. “I’ll be very limited, if anything. I proved myself with this organization. I don’t feel I have anything to prove in OTAs. Training camp is where you make positions and where you take positions.”

DT Chris Canty said yesterday that he is progressing from offseason knee surgery, but he is not sure if he will be participating in on-field activities until training camp.

CB Prince Amukamara says he is still recovering from the stem cell injection procedure he had performed in March that is designed to promote healing in his fractured foot. The procedure is similar to the one that HB Ahmad Bradshaw also recently underwent. Amukamara says he will begin running next month. “I told them I felt 100 percent but they wanted me to not only feel 100 percent but also look it on the x-rays,” said Amukamara. “The x-ray didn’t show quite as much as healing as they wanted to do so…(they’re) just taking all precautions.”

DE Justin Tuck said he thinks the multiple injuries he suffered through last season originated from not working as hard and being too lax during the lockout. “I am just working harder,” Tuck said. “I think last year with all the uncertainty around football, I might’ve ‘laxed’ a little bit with my regimens and I guarantee you that won’t be the case this year…They say that fatigue can make a coward out of all of us. When you get fatigued you start ‘laxing’ on technique, things like that. I think part of the reason why I got hurt early in the year is because I let my guard down and I don’t see myself doing that this year.”

S Chad Jones, who had his leg mutilated in a car accident two years ago, is rehabbing with the team. “Personally, I think he has a long way to go,” said General Manager Jerry Reese. “He’s rehabbing. If you see him on the field, you’ll see him rehabbing more than in drills with the players during OTAs and things like that. We wanted to get him here, have our doctors see him, have our trainers put their hands on him, evaluate him and see where he is. Just me personally, I think he still has a ways to go before he gets out there and plays in the National Football League.”

LB Michael Boley Not Sure Where He Will Play: There has been speculation this offseason that LB Michael Boley may move from outside to middle linebacker. General Manager Jerry Reese first mentioned that Boley could possibly play inside last month. The addition of Keith Rivers, who played outside for the Cincinnati Bengals, also suggests a possible move.

“We haven’t talked about it,’’ Boley said of a position change. “Obviously over the last couple of years we played a lot of three safety, two linebacker, the (middle) linebacker’s been kind of my role for the most part.’’

“It will be an adjustment (if I make the move),’’ Boley said. “Not too much so, most of the stuff we do it’s been the role I played the last couple of years anyway. If I had to I could do anything…if I want to keep my job. To me it’s only as hard as you make it.’’

Yesterday, Reese was asked about the middle linebacker spot again. “(Boley) plays middle linebacker in the nickel a lot for us anyway,” said Reese. “I think he can play any position. We like our linebackers to be versatile, to play different positions. I think he can play any of the linebacker spots. I think Rivers can play any of the linebacker spots. ”

Media Q&A With Various Players: Transcripts and video of yesterday’s  media Q&A with the following players are available at Giants.com:

• QB Eli Manning (Video)
• WR Hakeem Nicks (Video)
• WR Victor Cruz (Video)
• WR Domenik Hixon (Video)
• TE Jake Ballard (Video)
• TE Travis Beckum (Video)
• TE Martellus Bennett (Video)
• OG Kevin Boothe (Video)
• DT Marvin Austin (Video)
• LB Michael Boley (Video)
• CB Prince Amukamara (Video)
• S Chad Jones (Video)

Article on QB Eli Manning: Giants QB Manning ‘Enjoying Every Second’ of Big Year by Lenn Robbins of The New York Post

Article on HB Da’Rel Scott: Giants’ Da’Rel Scott Much More Confident, Thanks in Part Offseason Program by Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger

Article on OT David Diehl: Diehl Still Unsure Where He’ll Line Up by Ralph Vacchiano of The Daily News

Article on the Giants and the 2012 NFL Draft: Giants Bring in Draft Candidates for Visits by Mike Garafolo of The Star-Ledger

Notes and Quotes: DE/LB Mathias Kiwanuka on if he will play defensive end or linebacker in 2012: “We’ll see how the offseason goes. Probably a little bit of both.”

OT James Brewer on possibly starting: “I think them not bringing back Kareem was definitely an opportunity for me. (Right tackle) is definitely going to be a position to compete for and try to earn this year…This year with Kareem being gone I feel this is an important year for me in trying to solidify a spot or a more active role than I had last year.”